Zion Canyon Loop - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 396

14. Zion Overlook
Returning to Rte. 14, the drive continues northwest to a turnout known as Zion Overlook,
midway between Cedar Breaks and Cedar City. The vista takes in the majestic buttes of
Kolob Terrace and, in the distance, the towers of Zion.
15. Kolob Canyons Road
At Cedar City, turn south on I-15 and follow this four-lane highway 20 miles to exit 40 for
Kolob Canyons Road. Winding through the rugged landscape of Zion's backcountry, this
paved 5 1/2-mile spur begins at the Kolob Canyons visitor center, and it skirts the fascinat-
ing Finger Canyons—so named because they are divided by long, narrow sandstone ridges
that are parallel to each other.
Although you can't see it from the road, one of the largest-known freestanding arches
in the world, Kolob Arch, is seven miles to the east. When the weather is warm and the
air is clear, hikers often make overnight pilgrimages to visit the dizzying 310-foot span,
among the most noted landmarks of the park.
Once you've left Kolob Canyons Road and rejoined I-15, it's only about a half hour
to the drive's starting point at St. George. After traversing this remarkable loop—with
its cliffs and summits rising heavenward—one can easily see why Mormon pioneers so
revered this superb corner of Utah.
THE BRISTLECONE PINE
Besides Cedar Breaks's amazing three-mile wide, 2,000-foot-deep amphitheater is an
attraction just as grandiose: the bristlecone pine. Not due to its size, but because of
its longevity. Bristlecone pines are believed to grow older than any other single living
thing, many up to thousands of years!
At the Point in Cedar Breaks, visitors can view one of the monuments' oldest
residents—a 1,600-year-old bristlecone pine. In fact, there's even a trail called the
Bristlecone Pine Trail, in which visitors can mingle among a grove of these ancient
trees. The needles on the branches are thick, like a bristle, and dark green. The newest